Hello diners. no more riding the school bus for me. I'm drivin to school. Used to be that I wouldn't get off the bus until 5 to 4, maybe even 4 o'clock. Talk about a long bus ride. and I was sharing a bus ride with my sister and her friends. Thats enough to up the wall!! Aww well, can only get better right?
On the topic of birthdays, one thing I read that really brought a smile to my face is when someone says they are 20 with 30 years experience. All depends on how you look at things right?
Crud, tops again. Vinnie, what are the odds of me getting a job here?
If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran
When in doubt. grab a hammer.
If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer
If it's broken, get a hammer
If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!
teen steam fanCrud, tops again. Vinnie, what are the odds of me getting a job here?
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
jeffrey-wimberlyteen steam fanCrud, tops again. Vinnie, what are the odds of me getting a job here? Slim to none, and Slim just left town.
Good Evening Folks!
I will take a jumbo BLT on Italian bread and a Dr.Pepper please!
I added the ballast and loose rock to the C&NW Diorama. Next up different layers and colors of grass including foliage.
Good Evening All,
Three visits in one day. Left w..k early - didn't feel all that well and was exhausted plus I needed a haircut so off I went. Feel better now that I've had some dinner and a sit (and a little nap).
Ken - we used cement to fix the hardwood floor to our subfloor because the subfloor carries the radient heat pipes and nails would have punctured the plastic tubes. So far so good just using the construction adhesive and gravity. Of course we leveled all the layer below the sub floor before it was applied so no worries yet about bowing or heaving. I think we were told we could just stick it all together and not cement it at all but that seemed to be tempting Mr Murphy.
If I feel ambitious I will try finishing some shelving later and see what other trouble I can cause here. J.R.
Evening, Janie - I'll have a bowl of beef stew, some oyster crackers, a Rio Grande mug of coffee, and a grilled cheese sandwich, please and thankyou!
Todd, actually, to post progress photos, I thought I had to have some kind of progress, right? And while I've been thinking about MRR stuff, the actual w**king on it has been another matter...
Ray, glad you got your bird (identified, that is!) I'll have to see if I still have the canvas in my storage shed, but when I was an art major in college, I started one painting of a red-tailed hawk. The canvas was about four by five (feet, that is), and showed the hawk flying - sort of like this:
except viewed from the front, head-on (the initial drawing had the talons slightly lowered). The background was about five different colors, with a blue toward the top and the other four being various earth tones (red oxide/rust, yellow oxide, etc.). I didn't get it finished in that painting class other than the background and the pencil drawing - the wingspan was almost all of the five foot width), and after I got married, my wife told me that I couldn't put it over the couch (finished or unfinished). ... I'll check the storage shed and see if it's still there. Hmm...
Vincent, my belated Happy Birthday wishes! Hope you find something to do with your birthday loot.
Ulrich, sorry about your MB wearing out, but good to see you got a replacement for it. I can recall when they did sell Renaults in the USA (but maybe that shows my age...?). Stay afloat, and hopefully for you and Petra that will NOT be like your unfortunate neighbors to your south. By the way, your new wheels look good! (Of course, the Merc looks more impressive, but hey, South Africa will get a classy taxi once they repair it.
Garry, good to see the layouts (and your local 'MRR club') photos. Have a good trip to... (Michigan, or Ohio?). Good trip, anyway!
Jeff - I'm in shock - your nephew actually showed up? Talk about flying pigs, indeed! You're getting closer to having your own wheels again. How's the layout refurb coming along?
Trainman Sam, will keep your wife and uncle's moving experience (no pun intended, but what the heck!) in my Also keeping your qualification for Wash. Terminal there as well. You're probably right about Ulrich's new mileage - bet it will be better.
CudaKen, keep at it and I'm sure that (someday...) you'll get THAT floor done (as your CFO might say, "Perfect or not"). (And trust me, I am sooooo NOT able to answer your home project questions, being about in the same boat on that topic..)
I w**ked some more on the P2K 50' boxcar last night and today. Their grabirons are prototypically sized - and they break way too easily! I now have none of those I need for the end-of-car ones (they use a different number to identify each), but I have all the ladders on, and (I think) the links and the chain/line to the brake wheel in place, plus the roofwalk (or whatever it's called - I won't be sitting at the RC tonight, thanks, Vinnie). The undercarriage/chassis is done, doors are on, so I just have all the itsy-bitsy tiny-teensy parts left to put on. Reconsidering all these Proto 2000 kits I have. Welp, guess I'll try to get them done this decade (maybe)...
Today's on-call has been delightful. A bit after lunchtime, I was drowsy, so took a chance on Mr. Murphy and got a short nap in (hour and a half). Or I could blame it on my at-w**k incident Friday afternoon. AFTER I had finished our annual Non-Violent Intervention training, I'm upstairs kidding around with another therapist (slow afternoon), and short version is, I got tripped up and go down, brushing a steel doorframe on the way down. Didn't hurt (except my ego) anything, no bumps, not blood, no deal, I thought. Had to convince the other therapist (and my co-w**ker who helps me cover walk-ins) that I was fine, thankyouverymuch! Thought that was the end of it. Apparently not - after I get home, I get a call on the w**k cell from my supervisor - my fellow therapists had expressed their concern about me to her, and thus, we are required to fill out an 'incident report' because I fell down. (Little do they realize how hard my head is! And no comments from you Diners, thanks..)
Monday at MRR club, we're supposed to do the rest of the roadbed/tracklaying on the connecting sections, paint second coat over the I-beam across the middle of the train room so it's not obvious at first glance, then we can see how things are starting to look. Should have my MRR order in - it has the Sparky and the Chief fire chief's van to go with the LaFrance fire truck (yet to be assembled) and the fire station.
Gee, I'm finding more and more MRR stuff to do. Better shut up soon, or Todd's gonna remind me about those progress photos I haven't been posting. I'll see everybody after the move, I expect. Hope you're having a great MRR'ing weekend.
Blessings and prayers,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
Thanks for all the help JR, I be better suited to do what you do for a living than doing wood working.
I did play with the flyswatter
First thing was to open the thing up. Having watched bige61 video I all ready knew which wire went to the strainer and to the ground. So just clipped the wires at the base of the swatter end.
Next part was getting the handle off the strainer and cutting the handle down some. Getting the plastic handle off was easy, 2 pound dead shoot hammer made short work of the plastic handle. Hard part was cutting the metal part of the handle, could not find by cut off tool, so I did it with a hacksaw.
When you open the swatter up, the wire on bottom of the screen goes to the strainer. I solder the wires, the one for the ground I wrapped with electrical tape to be safe. The wire being held up is the basket wire.
When I watched bige61 video, he did not know which wire was witch so he had to break the swatter end open to find out. He then had to use bass wood to fill the gap between the handle and the strainer. Rather unsightly but it worked. I on the other hand knew which was witch. So I cut off around 2.5 inches of the handle. Broke it open and found the strainer handle would fit fairly tight. Also note I took off more of the metal handle.
I also decided I want to run the wires under the yellow part of the handle for a tighter fit. Wires that go to the circuit is not robust. I filled some reliefs in the black handle and the yellow part where the wires hang out.
Button up the handle and ran the + wire to the strainer. Ran the wires through the stainer, twisted and solder. You all so need to added a Alligator clip to the ground wire. Pictures is before I twisted and solder.
Here you go, it is done!
All I have done is test it. Pushed the button and touched the alligator clip to the strainer and we have spark. If I had all the tools at hand and knew how I was going to mount the strainer, I could have done it in 15 minutes. Pretty simple, I like simple!
Pictures of the grass Sunday.
Ken
I hate Rust
Belly Dancer! Did someone say there was a Belly Dancer here?!
Howdy, long day but I got the floor grouted and the new back door set. Of course Mr Murphy once again, arrived and I discovered the old door was unusually tall, They cut into the floor joists to set it which required me to repair and raise the floor to the original height. All is solid and correct now.
He he. I see Ken tried to use the "B" word for "Chicken Knockers" (giggle)
J.R.'s chained to the floor? Hm, must have a frame straightener. (old fashioned loops on the floor and a floor jack)
Ulrich- 6'5"? I bet you and Jim see eye to eye on many things. He's up there in your area. Me, only 6"3" with not so lofty ambitions. ( I have no idea what that is intended to mean, it just sounded good)
Turned onto the Williamsville Blacktop, now known as South Williamsville Road by the 911 address thing, from highway 54 and there at the tracks is a truck with his rear end on the tracks and an SUV behind him with 2 vehicles in front. Since I had my window down anyway I decided to, without thinking, slow down enough to say to him, "you know, trains can't stop even if they see you are on the tracks" He was appreciative of my comment. I know this by the way he gestured that I am "number 1" in his book. ( must have been from Riverton. They excel in sign language.) I nodded and drove of saying "see you in the Obituaries"
Sam- I hope it's not too late, but I will add your wife to the prayers for a safe load and journey. You made me almost run downstairs to check my layout for changes by some elves. Then I realized you were talking about Jeff's layout. By the way, I could not help but notice the toilet paper roll in the photo seems to come from the backside of the roll. I myself prefer it to come over the top. I guess it's just a personal preference.
Ken- I see J.R. has hollered from his chain on the paint. I have used floor leveler, the brand I can't tell you off the top of my head but it is very similar to concrete so it's probably the same as you have just a different brand, and the answer is ......yes. I have nailed and screwed (and glued but don't tell anyone as I wouldn't recommend it even though it has worked for me) with no problems. As long as the nails and screws go through the leeveler and into the sub floor of course. I've not noticed a smell with Liquid Nails, though others may. I don't think there is a problem with nailing or screwing through it either. I've used it, but don't know if the nails have gone through it or not. I assume some have. I am waiting to see if your static grass thing works. If so, it will be one of my projects that wil probably be half done.
Yeah TSF, Jeffrey does fire off a good one now and again. He's full of it... OW!!!! He doesn't run very fast anymore, but he's still got one heck of an aim!!! (rubs noggin where semi solid projectile has struck).
Steven- diorama's looking good.
Welp. Tired, so I'll say Prayers for those in need.
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Ken I just hope we don't read about you in the newspapers titled 'Spontaneous Human Combustion" or "Man's Hair Stands Up Permanantly" ~
Oh Ken all in good fun... but be careful SHC can happen.
Ok.. all its late and I am short for words. So here goes.
I have finished laying 200 feet of cork with another 100 feet to go.
Yes it took 100 feet each way to get to the next town in which will consist of many buidlings and yards.
That whole white area is .. well tomorrow after I lay the cork, I will lay out some track and see what I got.
As previously stated before, I have left certain areas open and not glued in for reasons of being able to
come back and lay cork or track. But not as I look at things, aside from glad I left things open for future
laying of cork and track.. well I just may want to change a few things around.
Take for instances.. this proposed area of a town and houses.
And change everything to a much more hillside town with gulleys and hills. And redo this area left open.
Like I said.. I'm glad I left some things open for many reasons.
Ok.. I said I'm tired and short for words. Just wanted to let you guys know I've been busy, and around.
Keith
Good Morning Folks,
Janie, I´ll have a big Sunday morning breakfast, with scrambled eggs, bacon, buttered toast, a bowl of mixed fruit and coffee in an IV bag, please.
A "dull" day, lotsa ra*n and way too cold for August. The leaves are turning yellow and I have seen the first flock of geese heading south - signs of an early winter to come. Hope it won´t be as bad as last year´s.
Sam - good to see you! Nice picture as well! You look smart in that uniform - like a Trainman. My to your wife for moving house. It is about a year now, since we moved into our little flat and not all gear has found its permanent place, yet. Petra is not really complaining, but now and then I get a certain look from her
Todd - being 6´5" ain´t no fun - too tall to ride a motor bike and not look silly on it, too tall for those nifty sports cars, too tall to make use of those clothing bargains, too tall for just bout anything. Must have been the workout and the good food during my days as an exchange student on Bainbridge Island, Wash., which made be grow that tall. I was about 5´ 11" when I left Germany and those 6´5" when I returned - all that in just 17 months! Talking of growing pains...
Ken - looks like a highly professional job you´ve done there. Be interesting to see how it works!
I see that the forum will be down the next two days - I wonder what the new forum will look like and whether there will be a Diner... I have seen so many "new and improved" things in my life, that I have grown to be somewhat suspicious about that. Or maybe this is just an old fart´s rant
Blessings to my friends!
Edit:
Keith - you have hit the enter key a minute before I did - I am too slow in typing Looks as if you have taken down some of the work you did before, right? Must have missed it during my absence. I hope you saved that wonderful scene behind the station, though!
Good Morning
Chloe, I'll have a big ol' stack o' pancakes with maple syrup--not that coloured stuff!--and a coffee please--I'll be at the window booth watching the day unfold.
Welp--the week my sister takes off to go camping with her friends looks to be a hot one up here--going to be sticky and hot Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and even Friday now
I'm having a time with these on-call weekends, I'll tell you. Had three emergencies to contend with yesterday alone. Hopefully, nothing of the sort will happen today
Ulrich: Nice to see you actually getting a vehicular vehicle! I'm only 5' 7" so I can fit--well---sort of--into anything. BTW--one thing a 6'5" guy could fit on to would be a Harley-Davidson chopper I know a couple of guys that height who own them
Vincent: A really belated from us'uns here too!!!
Keith: I like how that town is coming together there!
Welp, gotta get some stuff done to my own layout today---provided no one phones up in a panic--
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Ulrich, quote: " Looks as if you have taken down some of the work you did before, right? Must have missed it during my absence. I hope you saved that wonderful scene behind the station, though! "
LOL.. no no no.. That diorama is setting in another room. When planning the first diorama I took into consideration of being able to move it but still have it very secure. I didn't want things falling onto it while other parts of the layout were being built. The first diorama was / is 'set' with wood screws. So when the time comes I will bring out that first diorama and screw it in and than lay the track down accordingly. I only built the first diorama to know exactly how much room I needed for the 'Main Double Lines' In fact that particular diorama will be one of the last items to be screwed in right before the main lines come into play.
This town is / was more of an exercise of 'placement' and 'visuals' of elevation.
I didn't want the 'flat look' of buildings and so if you look closely you will see as the houses progress back into the background a small elevation was added. I wanted the church to be on a hill as well. I also tried to visualize a small road going on up into the background and so that is where I was. I must admit it was a fun exercise. The pic you see here is kept for records because I knew that all the houses and buildings would be removed and packed for a later date. I took a few photos for future reference and plan on also building another diorama, one that can be screwed in and taken back out if needed. Also, just like the other diorama all houses will be made in a fashion to add fiber optics at a 'Even' later date to aid in over-all visuals. I plan on making 3 towns/diorama's with even my wife's home town in there too.. so that will make 3.5 towns with the support buildings to go in also.
I also took out some mountain ridges that are numbered for re-placement, but I just didn't want to hem myself in anymore than what I have done. That vice you see in the above pic was used for a reason.. to make things just a tiny bit easier when it came to laying cork and track. I know one day when Jeanne came home from work, one of the first things she noticed was the mountains had been removed.
Jeff, I watched The Train Friday night, it was perfect for all the cork laying. With the commericals added it gave me just enough time to lay cork.. and then go back to watching the movie.. with minor checking on the glue. Lol.. it was perfect~
Ok.. time to go. I'll be getting ready to go visit my 86 year old mother who has lived in that house since 1947 when it was first built. She is getting on in years and at times I believe it won't be long. These sort of things can go fast and I want to see her before her time is up. Although at age 86 she is still a fisty one with a sense of humor... she tells me when she does pass on into the next dimension that "She will give me a good shove, not a tap on the shoulder .. but a good shove" to let me know~ ouuu ha haa ha!
Take care Keith
(sniff) Well it's been nice knowing you guys. I know I'll miss this place alot. Even though things haven't been progressing lately, I know if it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't be as far or have the desire to do what I have and eventually will. (sniff) I was hoping we could all watch as everyones layouts grew or were built but I guess it wasn't meant to......... (whisper from Flo, then a smack on the head Gibbs style) OH! Well then, I'll just say Gotta work on the house some then visit Mom and maybe some more work this eve. I should be able to make it by the time they lock the Yard gates, but, If I don't, have a safe next couple three days and I'll see ya in the new place and of course........
Have a Great Day!!!
Oh, Ulrich, since they have referenced enhancing friendships made on the forums, I would assume they still have no problems with the diner. What better example of a group of friends made through a common interest in MR and on their Forums, than the ELLIOT'S TRACKSIDE DINER (LLC)
The LLC is new. Tax and liability reasons.
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
Mornin' everyone! (Mornin' Bill..... nice photo!)
Welp, let's see Zoe. Last day up here in Moosonee, so I'll have a big plate of Bannock and Back Bacon and some Pure Canadian Maple Syrup (you know the one with the Canadian Flag on the bottle) to celebrate a month in the great (not so) white (this time of year) North.
I think we must have brought some Southern Weather with us this month as right now Moosonee is 23°C (73°F) and will get up to 28°C (83°F) this afternoon. Glad I'm not working train crew for the move South. Tomorrow up here it will be 30° C (86°F) ..... Bright sunny day Here in the Finger Lakes and cooler than Moosonee.......
I managed to get a couple of the S S LTD kits assembled last night and primed. The parts THAT were missing arrived a couple days ago and I finally found time to spend down cellar.
Here's hoping we all find our way back to the diner after the "New and Improved" upgrade! Hope the "New and Improved" version doesn't include mugshotbook or twit thingy........ At my age I refuse to Tweet! Although I have been known to toot now and then....
I'm sure I'll be back in before the place gets locked up.
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
LUNCH!!!!
Well I guess we will all see what happens in the next few days. I don't think they will shut-down the "diner". We are to nice of guys (sometimes gals) to do that until...... we have the pie fights, and the soap box rants .
Not much planned for me other than work on a boxcar (Ashley Drew & Northern). Hope everybody has a good Sunday, and I will sit in the corner and wait and see.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Afternoon folks!
I see lunch is being served Zoe, so I will have the Fish and Brewis plate special, with a good Canadian Beer.
I'll go sit in the front booth and see who else arrives.
Ulrich: I sent you a PM.
Good afternoon. It's 84 and cloudy. The high will be 91 and there's a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms.This morning I took out the bolts that were holding the Century's light bar. When I feel froggy enough I'll lift it off the roof. The sucker weighs 80 some-odd pounds. I had gotten the fuel pump working again yesterday so today I cut the fuel supply line, put the end of the line into a 6 gallon gas can and turned the fuel pump on. I filled the can full three times and filled it halfway the fourth time. The main tank on my father's truck is full now and there was some left to put in the reserve tank. Tomorrow I'll take out the 2-way radio, the electronic air horn module and the light bar switch box. I'll also be pulling the stereo.
Keith, if I remember right, this is your first layout? Rather it is your first or 5th, looks very ambulances and impressive. Looking forward to seeing more done.
Flo, can I have a order of BBQ Chicken Knockers, I like a pair of Big Ones (can't say *** here, lets see what happens with Knockers) , order of fried mushrooms, side of green beans, slaw big Chief Salad and a Milwaukee Best Light in a chilled Monon Mug.
So far today it has been a wash. Have been feeling like Caboose, maybe I feel better after dinner. Went to Sears to get the needed glue, wife went with me and she went shopping. Sitting in the car with the A/C off pretty much wiped me out. So there is not going to be any Floor Wars up date this month.
I might still play with the Static Grass if I feel better.
Sucks that I am back on the med's taking them right and I am back to the same state of feeling bad all the time. Guessing I am going to have to break down and see the Doctor Bird. With no health insurances it going to cost more than I can afford.
Any one here uses the VA health program? If so what do you think of it? I am a Vietnam vet, so I have partial V A benefits. Local St Louis VA hospital just got a lot of bad press, seems they gave some vet's Hepatitis by not cleaning the instruments right.
Train Front Seems it is time to repair another PCM engine. This time it is the Big Boy, sometimes when it goes around a Left Hand Turn, it shorts out. Not all the time, say oneness every 15 laps. Pretty much the same-thing as the PCM Y6 b did. Sent the Y6 back to BLI and they could not fix it, so I had them send it back and found the problem. No lube where the engines mounted to the frame, wore the mounting points down to where the wheels would contact the boiler and short. Used Kadee washers to fix the problem.
With the Big Boy, I can't see a spark like I did with the Y6. Might be behind the Boiler Skirt and I just can't see it.
Hum, Elliot have you thought about moving the dinner to St Louis? There is a spur in East St Louis that gives a great view of the Arch.
Cuda Ken
Hey guys, figured that I would stop in for the end of the weekend, Might be my last time in before the new updates take effect, but that bridge will come and I'll cross it when I get to it.
Actually, I am part of the moderator team on another forum, kinda cool what one can do with proboards. Do have to deal with the occasional person who is ticked at the whole group (only one person), but really kinda nice nonetheless. Gotta go.
Evenin' folks!
Flo I'll have the Roast Turkey with corn bread stuffing, Cranapple Relish, Brussel Sprouts, and lots of mashed potatos and gravy. To top it all off, for dessert, how about a slice of Maple Syrup Upside Down Cake. Also need a cup of decaf in a ON mug. Please and thank you!
Went over to my son's house for dinner actually. Had BBQ Chicken, ah, you know, one of those words you can't use here at the forum (the part some think the NMRA Logo is).... Noodles, baked beans, and apple pie a la mode for dessert. Little Emily was being a sweetheart but Olivia who was asleep when I got there woke up in a foul mood and was being a little brat. She finally decided to get over being mad and played with Grandpa for a while. My son will pick up 12 hours of overtime this week which will go toward having several trees cut down on his property. A couple are already dead and threaten to go right through the roof on the house if they come down by themselves.
I will try to get in here for one more Canadian style breakfast before we move to warmer climate.... I wonder how big a PITA the "New and Improved" site will prove to be??? Hopefully Ad Blocker will still w*rk and I will be able to click on something without 20 pull down menus clogging up where I want to get... My late wife used to w*rk in the business office of Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. her favorite line when asked directions was, "I'm sorry, you can't get there from here!" THAT is kinda what I'm expecting for the first week or so after...........
Evening, Flo - I see you and Janie are covering the front while Vinnie and the twins pack things for the move in the back, eh? I'll have a hot fudge sundae before the Big Change occurs (Almost sounds like we're a bunch of women, doesn't that?) (WHACK!) Ow! Flo, I meant no disrepect to the fairer gender, honest I didn't. (Really, none intended!...) Ow, that hurts.. you really gotta stop watching so much NCIS, please, Flo?
TMarshOh, Ulrich, since they have referenced enhancing friendships made on the forums, I would assume they still have no problems with the diner. What better example of a group of friends made through a common interest in MR and on their Forums, than the ELLIOT'S TRACKSIDE DINER (LLC) The LLC is new. Tax and liability reasons.
This Diner? Incorporated? Obviously, someone has mistaken us for people with money worth suing - which means they haven't been watching very closely in here (or they'd know better thanTHAT!).
Welp, I was gonna post some pics, but the commentary will have to wait until after the move. Here (in order) are a Yardmaster 40' undecorated boxcar,
a Proto 2000 50' single door SP boxcar (only partially assembled),
and an Accurail 40' D&RGW boxcar:
These are all ones I've been w**king on lately - the Accurail was done and finished this afternoon, the others took longer (or are still in process...).
And Flo? Could I have that hot fudge in a 'go' container, please? Pager just went off - one at a local constabulary (or something close to that...).
Will see everyone on the other side of whatever is about to transpire (hope I don't have to have a Facebook (tm) account for the new forums, 'cause I refuse to do that...). Prayers, as usual, will continue whether I can get onto the forums or not.
Hello All!
Todd- The photo was taken at the hotel where we layover in D.C. I prefer the paper from the other side as well! Speaking of D.C., I passed my check ride today! I am now qualified to operate a train in Washington Terminal! Thank you for all your prayers and support! I still have to get my check rides on the CSX and NS territories as well as passing my written NS examination and an Engineer Knowledge Test… Hopefully they will be forthcoming in the next few weeks and I get onto the Engineer’s Extra-Board in Manassas Crew Base!
Keith- Awesome progress on the layout front! I wish I had a house to build in, but as the current situation “Is what it is” THAT will have to wait!
Kuda- Hope your situation improves, with as much as you have helped others in the recent past, some of that “Karma” should be flowing back to you!
Well, I am off, have to prepare the apartment for my wife’s arrival on Tuesday! I am praying that she has a safe journey down I-95... Of course, we just found out it is supposed to be 98 degrees here on Tuesday and Wednesday… Thought we were out of the hot weather, but I guess not… I can only look at it on the “bright side” (yes, every pun intended!), I will be getting more than a healthy dose of Vitamin E!!!
Adieu, until next time!
Sam
May He bless you, guide you, and keep you safe on your journey through life!
I Model the New Hope & Ivyland RR (Bucks County, PA)
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Big Change Eve Evening to one and all.
Flo? Can I get a pair of BBQ chicken NMRA logos? Please and thank-you... with a large Coke to chase 'em down.
Welp, a mixed results day it has been. I got some paint splashed around successfully in the RR room after getting a phone call postponing an interview with a trio of Solon Boy Scouts who had gone to the big Jamboree a few weeks back. Then, decided to start on an Athearn blue box Centerflo hopper. Instead of Dullcoting the four sitting in wait of said Dullcote...I go and tear into another project. Anyhoo, said hopper is decorated for Enjay Plastics, and was to be assigned to appear on the future layout enroute to the off-layout location of Triangle Plastics in Oelwein.
But...Murphy had other ideas.
An attempt at faded/peeling paint went terribly awry. Now the poor thing sits in brake fluid. It will become yet another CNW Centerflo. Actually, THATs not all bad. Quaker had a bunch of 'em, big 'ol yellow things. I used to think they hauled some kind of corn byproduct to breweries. Now, after reading the ingredients on a cereal box...I'm wondering if they were bringing malt (malt service is why CNW got these hoppers) TO the plant. If Rerun hadn't destroyed all my North Yard switch lists from my '87-'93 timeframe...I'd know for sure.
So, I'm fiddling with the hopper, doing my best to turn it into a piece of crap...when I realize I was supposed to be on the road to Solon! A very quick shower and change of clothes (plus no less than three trips back upstairs for various must-have items...and I'm finally on the road. I arrive at precisely 5:30 (when I said I'd get there). The interview went well, should be a nice little article for THAT. I'm not quite sure what to do about one aspect of it though. They mentioned the on-stage guests, such as Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs), and Sec Def Gates. They also mentioned seeing POTUS on the big-screen. "I think that told us what he thinks of us" said one scout. "It (the video) was not well received" said an adult who went with them. I'm leaving MY opinion of the whole deal OUT of this... and I don't want to put in anything THAT might get these guys in trouble. The situation received national coverage...so to not mention it might seem...cowardly??? But to include it might have other ramifications...
Gotta cogitate on this one.
Any former Scouts care to weigh-in on this? RAY? My politics on the matter are securely locked in my pickup in the parking lot. I'm just wondering the best course of action. Discretion IS the better part of valor...however the guy who uttered THAT famous quote was hiding from a battle when he said it!!
Back to projects on the w**k table, I finally found a solution enabling me to finish the CCP caboose I started...last year? It's an Athearn wide-vision with the coupla replaced by a narrower one. All was well 'till I got to the final task: the end rails. I was not looking forward to snipping wire bits and Gorilla Glueing them together (no soldering iron...yet). I have in the past, and it turned out OK for a somewhat simplified product. I scoured the ATLAS site for end railing parts...no luck. By fluke, I found a guy on theBay who had 'em...for a reasonable price. Fortunately, they will fit just about perfectly. I removed their black/yellow paint earlier, will spray 'em red and paint the railing white in the next day or two, or three, or four, or...
I found the plastic ATLAS had the Chinese use to be kinda strange though. It's light gray (GREAT! no need for primer!), but it's a slippery, translucent kinda plastic...NOT what I'm used to seeing in plastic models.
With THAT...I'll enjoy these fine, plump BBQ chicken NMRA logos over at the RC... but not before saying "THANKS for your service!" to CUDA KEN, and tossing complements to STEVEN on the CNW diorama. SAM, good to see you again, the uniform looks sharp . Good luck with the move.
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
Evening all, I'll have a barley pop please Janie
Ken,,,,
I've been using the VA for bout 18 year now and other than the drive [ 45 mile for clinic and 70 mile for one hospital, or 90 for the other one], have been satisfied for the most part with the care.
I couldn't afford any insurance I started, now we've got it through Mother's work and I still use the VA for the most part.
Mike
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309
A bowl of the House Stew, please.
After wiring all the street lights for wife's layout, a couple of them have that "burning plastic smell". Not sure if they are defective (cheapos from Hong Kong) or if something got crossed in my soldering/taping. Bottom line is they are ALL going to come out, as we're not going to risk a fire. Can anyone highly recommend any particular type/brand of street lamps (any style) for a small HO scale town?
I'm now on the next stage of treatment for the sarc and doing OK with it so far.
Where will the Diner move be taking us next?
Hope everyone is doing ok.
Cheers! Rob
Well I see the packing has begun in earnest... Flo, got enough in the pot for one more cup of decaf for me tonight? Good!
I see Chris waving me over to his table......
AmanaMedicAny former Scouts care to weigh-in on this? RAY? My politics on the matter are securely locked in my pickup in the parking lot. I'm just wondering the best course of action.
Welp....... Tough one. I try to avoid politics here with a passion........... (BTW I tend to be centrist on most topics, on others I am way over on the Left, and some others way over on the Right). I guess if it were me I would mention in the article the Scouts enjoyed several of the well known speakers at Jambo but were very disappointed or even upset the President did not attend and only sent a video to them. I think it would be the truth, and an honest way to put it. There is already a large bunch of innuendos, half truths, and out and out lies circulating about the incident.
Funny, I have been a Scout Leader for 35 years and I don't remember much of a brewha when Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Carter, and Ford didn't speak at the Jambos. J. F. Kennedy had planned to speak but was assassinated before he could. President Johnson addressed the Jambo that year instead. Two other recent presidents (Clinton and G. W. Bush) spoke at one of the two Jambos during their terms of office and not the other. I would go easy and leave my political leanings out of the article.... Just my BTW, the Eagle Scout I had the Honor of helping during his ceremony recently had a fairly long and inspiring letter from the President read at the ceremony.
Well...... (deep subject). I think I will finish up a couple of things I need to do and head out for the night. May see you in the morning if I get up early enough.
Evening, less than 12 hrs now so I think I'll have a Canadian beer in a CN mug. Been nice up here, kinda airish compared to some days we've had here, but nice. Real nice. I'm glad we didn't have the wildlife over run as it looked like we were going to have after we got here, I guess they were just curious and now they are just ignoring us. I did pick up this great stuffed Beaver at a stand ouistide the yard gate. I think it even has this little motor in it. Sometimes when I come back it has moved. They sure do build some realistic stuffed animals up here.
LLC is just a legal addition, I don't think we need to add it to the sign. No, Jim, the LLC is not because of us. With the new upgrades to the site and all the lost post scare, They just decided better safe than sorry. You know, can't be to safe these days. Thanks for the progress shots. Looks good!
Hey, I see Inch made it to Canada!
Say, anybody heard from Jerry?
Congrats Sam!!
Well, gonna head for bed as I hurt all over tonight. Hope to see you all in the morning. But first I think I'll check out the NMRA's new logo. I hear it looks.......interesting.
Prayers for those in need.
(giggle) seems a bit......,symetrical. (chort) I see they were going for a 2- something. Would have been very interesting if they'd chosen a 4- whatever. (leaves chuckling)